OC Vicious Dogs Ordinance Change Could Mean Launch of Website Listing Dogs, Photos Like Sex Registry

The Board of Supervisors recently preliminarily approved changes to Orange County's vicious dogs ordinance that include establishing a website of dangerous canines in the area.

Like the Megan's Law website bearing photos of registered sex offenders, the county would set up a site featuring dangerous dogs, said Ryan Drabek, director of Orange County Animal Care.

"That would be the most significant portion of what they're asking staff to do," Drabek said.

The supervisors voted 4-0 on Tuesday to tentatively approve changes to the county's ordinance regulating vicious dogs. A final vote is scheduled for Oct. 1.

In July of last year, the supervisors approved an ordinance making it tougher for owners of vicious dogs to obtain another canine. That ordinance was inspired by the complaints of Trabuco Canyon residents who said a pit bull owner used his pet to terrorize and intimidate neighbors.

Other proposed changes to the county ordinance include allowing pet owners to get their dogs back pending an administrative hearing to determine if a canine is dangerous. That would save the county money for housing the dogs until a final determination is made while also allowing officials ways to monitor the animals, according to Drabek.

Pet owners would also get seven instead of five days for a "due process" hearing to answer allegations that their dogs are dangerous, he said.

The dogs deemed dangerous would not end up on the county's website until after an administrative hearing, Drabek said. If an owner of a dog declared vicious wants to appeal the agency's ruling to the Orange County Superior Court, then the canine would not end up on the website until that appeal was complete, he said.

– City News Service.